France to train Saudi nuclear workers

15 July 2013

French nuclear giants Areva and EDF are to help train workers for Saudi Arabia's planned nuclear power industry.

The two French companies have signed a cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia's National Institute of Technology "with the aim of contributing to the development of technical nuclear skills in Saudi Arabia."

Areva and EDF will train Saudi technicians in the various nuclear specialities, including welding, electrical installation, mechanics and electromechanics. They have recently welcomed representatives from several Saudi higher education establishments to their industrial sites in France to show them fuel cycle activities, operation of nuclear power plants and reactor construction.

Saudi Arabia plans to construct 16 nuclear power reactors over the next 20 years at a cost of more than $80 billion, with the first reactor on line in 2022. The King Abdullah City for Nuclear and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE) was set up in Riyadh to be the competent agency for treaties on nuclear energy signed by the kingdom. It is also responsible for supervising works related to nuclear energy and radioactive waste projects.

A nuclear cooperation agreement was signed between Saudi Arabia and France in early 2011. Other such agreements have been signed with Argentina, China and South Korea.